Cambridge International igcse English Literature
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Course overview
The CAMBRIDGE-INTERNATIONAL igcse English Literature specification covers 7 topics with 217 learning objectives (0475). Use the topic browser below to explore subtopics, exam tips, common mistakes, and key terminology for each area of the course.
- 7 topics
- 217 learning objectives
- 25
- verified practice questions
- 72
- verified teaching notes
- 7
- topics
- 3
- explainer videos
- 19
- audio lessons
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7 topics
Poetry and Prose5 topics
Songs of Ourselves Volume 1
Set texts for examination in 2026 – Paper 1 - Section A: Poetry - Songs of Ourselves Volume 115 specification points covering Aphra Behn, ‘Song: Love Armed’, Sujata Bhatt, ‘A Different History’, William Blake, ‘The Chimney-Sweeper’ and related ideas.45 objectivesSongs of Ourselves Volume 2, Part 3
Set texts for examination in 2026 – Paper 1 - Section A: Poetry - Songs of Ourselves Volume 2, Part 315 specification points covering Nancy Fotheringham Cato, ‘The Road’, Sarah Jackson, ‘The Instant of My Death’, Arun Kolatkar, ‘The Bus’ and related ideas.45 objectivesKayo Chingonyi: Kumukanda
Set texts for examination in 2026 – Paper 1 - Section A: Poetry - Kayo Chingonyi15 specification points covering The Colour of James Brown’s Scream, Broomhall, The N Word (I.) and related ideas.45 objectivesProse Set Texts
Set texts for examination in 2026 – Paper 1 - Section B: Prose7 specification points covering Chinua Achebe Things Fall Apart, Jane Austen Pride and Prejudice, Anita Desai Fire on the Mountain and related ideas.21 objectivesStories of Ourselves Volume 2
Set texts for examination in 2026 – Paper 1 - Section B: Prose - Stories of Ourselves Volume 210 specification points covering no.30 objectives
Drama1 topic
About this course
About Cambridge International igcse English Literature
The Cambridge International IGCSE English Literature course invites students to explore a rich variety of prose, poetry, and drama from different periods and cultures. Through close reading and critical analysis, you will develop a deep understanding of how writers use language, form, and structure to create meaning and evoke responses in readers.
This specification encourages you to engage with texts personally and critically, considering themes such as love, power, identity, and social injustice. The course is structured around three main components: two written examination papers and a coursework option, allowing you to demonstrate your skills in both timed conditions and extended written responses.
Assessment Structure
The Cambridge International IGCSE English Literature (0475) is assessed through two written papers and a coursework component. Paper 1 (Poetry and Prose) is a 2-hour written exam worth 50% of the total grade, where you answer two questions on set texts. Paper 2 (Drama) is a 1-hour 30-minute written exam worth 25%, focusing on one drama text. The remaining 25% comes from either Paper 3 (Drama (Open Text)) or Component 4 (Coursework), where you submit one extended essay on a text of your choice. All papers are externally assessed, except coursework which is teacher-marked and moderated by Cambridge.
Why Choose Cambridge International?
- Cambridge International IGCSE English Literature is recognised globally and provides a strong foundation for A-Level and university study, with a focus on critical thinking and independent interpretation.
- The specification offers a flexible choice of set texts, including a wide range of poetry, prose, and drama from diverse cultures and periods, allowing you to study works that resonate with you.
- The assessment structure balances timed exams with a coursework option, giving you the opportunity to demonstrate your analytical skills in a more extended, research-based format.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Cambridge IGCSE English Literature and English Language?
How many set texts do I need to study for the Cambridge IGCSE English Literature exam?
Is coursework compulsory for Cambridge IGCSE English Literature?
What kind of questions appear in the Cambridge IGCSE English Literature exams?
How is the Cambridge IGCSE English Literature graded?
Assessment and exam guidance
What Gets Top Grades
Knowledge & Understanding
Demonstrates comprehensive and accurate knowledge
- Uses correct subject-specific terminology
- Shows detailed understanding of concepts
- Makes accurate connections between topics
- Demonstrates depth beyond surface-level knowledge
Application
Applies knowledge effectively to new contexts
- Selects relevant knowledge for the question
- Adapts understanding to unfamiliar scenarios
- Uses examples appropriately
- Shows awareness of context
Analysis & Evaluation
Develops sophisticated analytical arguments
- Constructs logical chains of reasoning
- Considers multiple perspectives
- Weighs evidence to reach justified conclusions
- Acknowledges limitations and nuances
Key Command Words
Give a single fact or term
Name, select, or recognise
Set out main features briefly
Give an account of what something is like or what happens
Give reasons with developed cause→effect chains
State similarities AND differences (both required)
Examine in detail showing cause→effect→consequence chains
Weigh up BOTH sides, reach JUSTIFIED conclusion
Make judgments about importance with justification
Show formula→substitution→calculation→answer with units
Tips and common mistakes
Common Exam Mistakes
Pitfalls to avoid in your exams
- •Invents a staged progression in which Love grows from a child into a tyrant monarch; describe instead a god already presented as armed and triumphant.
- •Treats the beloved's heart as the weapon that wounds; recognise that the beloved is the victor and free while the speaker's heart bears the harm.
- •Overlooks that both lovers together arm Love; explain the cooperative conceit rather than attributing the arming to one lover alone.
- •Summarises the poem's ideas without analysing technique; select key images and explain their effect instead.
- •Quotes at length without comment; embed a few words and analyse their precise effect.
- •Ignores the question's focus and writes everything known about the poem; plan around the exact wording first.
- •Treats the speaker's voice as the poet's own without comment; discuss the constructed speaker and persona.
- •Retells the poem's story without analysing how Blake creates effects; keep every paragraph anchored to a technique and its impact.
Top Examiner Tips
Expert advice for exam success
- •Anchor each point in a short quoted phrase and name who speaks it, so analysis stays tied to Behn's text.
- •Explain the effect of a device on the reader's sense of love's power before moving to the next quotation.
- •Plan a clear argument about the paradox of love, then select two or three quotations that develop it rather than listing devices.
- •Read the question twice and underline its key focus word before planning.
- •Plan for a few minutes: choose three or four quotations that best answer the question.
- •Keep quotations short and always follow each with analysis of effect.
- •Leave time to reread and check that every paragraph returns to the question.
- •Read the question twice and underline the exact focus before planning, so your argument answers it directly.
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